Question

What would the student nurse claim is an acceptable respiratory rate range in a toddler of 2 years of age?

1) 20 to 30 breaths/minute
2) 25 to 32 breaths/minute
3) 30 to 50 breaths/minute
4) 35 to 40 breaths/minute

Answer 1

The acceptable respiratory rate range for a 2-year-old toddler is 20 to 30 breaths per minute, as respiratory rate decreases with age from infancy to adulthood.

Step-by-step explanation:

The acceptable respiratory rate range for a toddler of 2 years of age is 20 to 30 breaths per minute. This range reflects the normal respiratory rate of a child as it decreases from birth to adolescence. In comparison, a child under 1 year of age may have a respiratory rate between 30 and 60 breaths per minute, which is markedly higher.

By the time a child is about 10 years old, the normal respiratory rate averages closer to 18 to 30 breaths per minute. When adolescents reach adulthood, their normal respiratory rate further aligns with that of adults, which is 12 to 18 breaths per minute, reflecting a gradual decrease in the respiratory rate with age due to various physiological changes, including respiratory center maturation and lung capacity growth.